Archive for the ‘Ergonomic’ Category
What Makes a Product “Ergonomic”?
Over the past decade or so, there have been many words that pop up related to health, one of which is “ergonomic”. You’ve surely seen a lot of products on the market that label themselves as being ergonomic. However, the truth is that not all of these products are ergonomic—they’re simply labeling themselves as such in order to increase sales. So let’s get it straight—what exactly makes a product ergonomic?
Let’s start by actually defining what “ergonomic” means. Ergonomics comes from the Greek for “work” (ergon) and the Greek for “natural laws” (nomoi). According to the International Ergonomics Association, the definition of “ergonomic” is: “the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data, and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance.” In other words, ergonomics is about the science of keeping things comfortable (to a human being, at least).
The unfortunate truth is that there is no real legal requirement for using the term “ergonomic” on labels or in marketing pitches. And this has led to a myriad of products claiming to be ergonomic that are anything but, which can make it very difficult for consumers looking for something that will better their physical health and comfort.
While there is no cut and dry system of determining what really makes a product ergonomic, it comes down to a fact of: Is this product going to lead to increased comfort and efficiency? If, while you’re investigating a possible purchase of an item claiming to be ergonomic, you don’t see it as helping you be more comfy or more efficient, put it down and walk away. It’s not ergonomic.